It may have changed after my time there, since I only went opening weekend, but if I'm not mistaken, last year French St was actually open from both directions, and you could walk through at your leisure, there was even a path next to the queue for Bride that opened up around despicable me that let you walk between the two streets like the old days. I think minions cafe was open or something, and it was mostly just a logistical thing to let people get back there, but at least while I was there it was kinda back to its old self in terms of layout.